Decoy flare with traveling ignition charge

ABSTRACT

Cartridge type decoy flares are provided with ignition devices which will ignite the flare only after it has left the bore of the dispenser. Safety means is provided which remains in effect until after the flare has cleared the muzzle of the bore.

finite Sites aiet Hamel Jan. 23, 1973 541 DECGY FLARE WITH TRAVELING2,751,582 6/1956 Kuykendall "102/318 x HGNKTKON QHARGE garrett g aine[75] Inventor: Joseph W. Hanzel, Sardis, Miss. [73] Assignee: The UnitedStates of! America as Primary Emmi' 1er"Samue1 Feinberg represented bythe Secretary 0f the Assistant Exammer -James M. Hlanley Navy Att0rneyR.S. Scnascna et al.

[22] Filed: June 21, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.Z 155,090 571 ABSTRAQT Cartridgetype decoy flares are provided with ignition {52] 102/344 102/3181devices which will ignite the flare only after it has left 42/1 F thebore of the dispenser. Safety means is provided [51 hit. Ci. ..C06d1/04, C06d 1/10 which remains in effect il after the fl h cleared [58]Field of Search ..l02/34.4, the muzzle of the bore 3 Claims, 2 DrawingFigures [56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,198,697 4/1940Driggs ..l02/35.6 X

PATENTEUJM 23 :91: 3,712,224

sum 1 or 2 FIG.

INVENTOR. J. W. HANZEL BY: ROY MILLER ATTORNEY GERALD BAKER AGENT.

PATENTEDJAH23 I975 3. 71 2,224

sum 2 or 2 FIG. 2.

DECOY FLARE WITH TRAVELING IGNITION CHARGE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATION The present invention is an improvement on Assigneesco-pending application, Ser. No. 766,039, filed Oct. 4, 1968, now US.Pat. No. 3582313.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When extremely hot flares are deployed froman aircraft dispenser, it is important that individual flares not beignited until after leaving the bore. Previous designs of such flareshave included accelerometer, pull wire and pnuematic action igniters.These devices however have generally occupied an excess amount ofvaluable space, were complex and complicated, and also were generallylow in reliability.

With this invention a simple, low cost, compact design, operatingwithout the use of accelerometer, pull wire or the like, acts with greatreliability utilizing a traveling ignition pellet. This travelingignition pellet may also be used for a propelling charge, thuseliminating the usual impulse cartridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a crosssectional view longitudinally bisecting two flares in a dispenser; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 ofa second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The flare systemgenerally indicated at in FIG. 1 comprises a dispenser body 12 designedto hold a plurality of flare cartridges l4, 16 as, for example, byflange members 18.

Each flare cartridge 14, 16 comprises a casing 20 which surrounds theflare material 22 and means for igniting the flare material whendesired.

Also confined within casing 20 is an ejection charge 24 which may befired through leads 26 by making contact with electrical circuitry (notshown) in dispenser body 12.

The flare 22 and its associated firing mechanism is separated from theejection charge 24 by a blow-out disc 28 which comprises a rupturablediaphragm 30. The blow-out disc 28 is fastened into the cartridge caseby means of a suitable sealant 32.

The means for igniting the flare material 22 comprises an ignitionpellet 34 fastened within a piston 36 containing two blow-out plugs 38in diametrically opposing ports 40. The after end of piston 36 isrecessed at 41 to contain a sealant 42 such as RTV6. Each of the plugs38 are equipped with an obturation ring such as O rings 39. Each of thecartridges l4, 16 are closed by an end closure 44 which is designed tobe blown out when the charge 24 is fired.

OPERATION In FIG. 1, the flare cartridge 14 is shown before firing and,in FIG. 2, the cartridge 16 is illustrated after firing at the momentthe piston 36 has cleared the case 20 sufficient for plugs 38 to beexpelled. The sequence of events occurring between the firing of theejection charge 24 and the time represented by the parts of cartridge 16take place in a time interval of less than 1 second.

When current is applied to conductors 26, the charge 25 of the ejectiondevice 24 fires and ruptures diaphragm 30 of ring 28. Fire from thecharge 25 then ignites the ignition pellet 34. Gas pressure from thefiring of charge 25, and later gases caused by ignition of pellet 34,propel the flare 22 out of case 20 by means of pressure on piston 36. Solong as piston 36 remains inside case 20, the fire from ignition pellet34 is prevented from reaching flare material 22 because of the presenceof plugs 38. As the flare assembly is expelled from the casing 20,however, plugs 38 are expelled by gas pressure allowing fire fromignition pellet 34 to be directed through ports 37 to ignite the flarematerial 22 as indicated at 45.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, a modified piston 36' has aforward opening which is closed by a cap member 46 which cap membercarries an ignition pellet 34. In this embodiment, the piston 36' andflare 22' are expelled from the casing 20 in much the same manner asdescribed above when the ejection charge 24 is fired. The ignitionpellet 34' is also similarly ignited.

In this case, the periphery of the piston 36' meets a flanged orembossed portion 21 of casing 20' and the forward momentum of flarematerial 22' causes a separationbetween piston 36' and the cap member46, thus allowing the flare material 22' to be ignited at 45' by theignition pellet 34'. An (1 ring 43 is placed between the cap member 46and piston 36 to aid in retaining the members together until forcedapart as described above.

The flare material 22 may take any shape and may include inhibiting orignition strips, for example, as described in the above mentionedco-pending application. A comparison of the presently disclosed ignitiondevices with the ignition device, for example, in the copendingapplication will-be sufficient to indicate that applicant has devised anignition device having advantages of simplicity and low cost without thesacrifice of safety or reliability. If desired, the ignition pellet 34or 34' may be used as the propelling charge and the impulse cartridgeeliminated What is claimed is:

1. A decoy flare system comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of flare cartridges in said housing;

a substantially cylindrical flare candle in each said cartridge;

piston means for expulsing flares individually from said cartridges andfor preventing ignition ofsaid flares until after said flare candle hascleared said cartridge;

ignition means on said piston means for igniting said candle; saidcartridge having a central bore and abuttment means projecting withinsaid bore near the muzzle end of said cartridge;

said piston means including a bore riding portion and a cap portion;

said piston means being effective to prevent fire or flame from reachingsaid candle; and

said cap portion being separable from said bore riding portion toprovide communication of fire and flame through said piston means tosaid candle when said bore riding means meets said abuttment.

2. ln a flare system according to claim 1:

said piston means comprising a cylindrical cup attached to the breechend of said candle with the sides of said cup parallel to the bore ofsaid cartridge;

the sides of said cup having one or more orthogonal cylindrical openingstherein;

blowout means in each said opening;

said cup further including passageways communicating between the insideof said cup and the base of said candle;

said passageways being normally blocked by said

1. A decoy flare system comprising: a housing; a plurality of flarecartridges in said housing; a substantially cylindrical flare candle ineach said cartridge; piston means for expulsing flares individually fromsaid cartridges and for preventing ignition of said flares until aftersaid flare candle has cleared said cartridge; ignition means on saidpiston means for igniting said candle; said cartridge having a centralbore and abuttment means projecting within said bore near the muzzle endof said cartridge; said piston means including a bore riding portion anda cap portion; said piston means being effective to prevent fire orflame from reaching said candle; and said cap portion being separablefrom said bore riding portion to provide communication of fire and flamethrough said piston means to said candle when said bore riding meansmeets said abuttment.
 2. In a flare system according to claim 1: saidpiston means comprising a cylindrical cup attached to the breech end ofsaid candle with the sides of said cup parallel to the bore of saidcartridge; the sides of said cup having one or more orthogonalcylindrical openings therein; blowout means in each said opening; saidcup further including passageways communicating between the inside ofsaid cup and the base of said candle; said passageways being normallyblocked by said blowout means; whereby, when said flare candle andpiston are ejected from said cartridge, said blowout means will exitfrom said openings and allow fire from said ignition means to reach thebase of said candle.
 3. The flare system according to claim 2 whereinexplosive means is provided for expelling said flare candle from saidcartridge; and a rupturable diaphragm is fastened within said cartridgebetween said candle and said explosive means.